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I thought I would start this to help with some of the common identification threads out there. I did some searching online and compiled some of the information I found here and among other forums to make it handy for everyone when trying to find an ID on hitchhikers or the unknown critters that sometimes pop up that seem like they belong in the x-files.
I will start off with harmless critters first. My comments here are partly based on my experiance and part from researching online. If anyone sees any corrections that need to be made, please PM me or post your own experiences in the thread. At least you can hopefully put a name to what you see in your reef. My purpose is not to provide you information on how to get rid of the hitchhikers, but only to ID them and then it up to you to search and find more information on how to remove them.
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<u>HARMLESS</u>
<u>Amphipods</u>
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Most reef tanks have these in the LR or running around on the sand. Size is from a few millimeters to 1/4 of an inch generally. I see them most often at night. In the absence of predators they will be bold enough to come out during the day. If you search your tank at night with a flashlight, the eyes even reflect light much the same way cats eyes do.
<u>Copepods</u>
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Again very common reef "bugs". They are usually less than 1mm in size and people often say they look like little white dots on the glass or LR.
<u>Spirorbis</u>
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Feather duster type worms in the Annelid family. They usually grow in darker areas but I have found them on the back wall of my tank. They are a good sign that your reef tank is well established and in balance if they start to appear. They are filter feeders.
<u>Feather dusters</u>
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There are many types of these found commonly in or on live rock. Some live in the rock themselves or some make tubes. The colors vary greatly. On my LR I have a few different kinds, some having red feeding tentacles, some having white. Another beneficial filter feeder.
<u>Asterinid stars</u>
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Commonly called asternia stars. Usually the size of a dime or smaller. I have included them in the harmless section due to the fact that mine have never bothered my corals. I have many of them in my tank. I have found them to be grazers, mostly feeding on algae on the side of my tanks. There is a harmful species of this star that looks very similar to these that will eat corals. The ones commonly found on LR are <u>USUALLY</u> the harmless ones. They usually have an abnormal number of arms and reproduce fast by splitting. I do have a few that look like normal starfish with five arms, but I have found that to be uncommon. Keep an eye on them if you see them in your reef tank just to make sure they behave and dont bother any corals.
<u>Limpets</u>
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Algae grazers. Sometimes found on live rock in many sizes. Many different species most oval in shape with the shell coming to a point on top.
<u>Spaghetti worm and Hair worms</u>
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Usually considered harmless. Sizes can vary. You usually spot these at night when they extend their feeding tentacles to scavange for food. Upon occasion they can bother some corals when hunting for food. Hair worms are similar in appearance but only have 2 feeding arms that extend to search for food.
<u>Peanut worms</u>
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Nocturnal worms that feed on detritus and left over tidbits of food. Rarely seen during the day, they are a beneficial member of CUC (clean up crews) Normally quite ugly lil guys, some have been seen with banded patters.
<u>Bristle worms (not fireworms, those are listed under harmful creatures)</u>
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Bristle worms are found in almost every reef tank. Most people consider them pests but I find them to be beneficial members of the CUC. They eat leftover food, and scavenge for other meaty meals. Caution should be used as the actual bristles of this worm can cause severe irritation, pain, redness and swelling if touched with bare hands.
<u>Mysis shrimp</u>
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These little guys are VERY fast lol. You will almost always see them in your fuge, sump or in the live rock at night. At night with a flashlight their eyes will reflect light as well. They also make great treats for your fish so as they reproduce net em and feed em!
<u>Stomatellas</u>
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These guys are harmless grazers. They look like a snail with half a shell. They are mainly nocturnal but I do see them from time to time during the day. They spawn often in reef tanks. The male will stand up almost vertical and release his sperm at which time the females will rise up and release eggs. My clownfish loves the eggs as a tasty treat. Usually if you use a flashlight at night, you will see many of them.
<u>Vermetid snails</u>
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Vermetid snails are often mistaken for feather duster tubes or tube worms. These reef critters are actually snails that secrete a feeding mucus (pic 3) to catch passing particles in the water column. I have seen ones in my tank catch and reel in adult brine shrimp. Usually harmless but the feeding mucus can bother or smother some sensitive corals.
<u>Hydroids</u>
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Hydroids are very small and hard to spot. Most people say they look like tiny clear or white jellyfish attached to the glass.
<u>Micro Serpent Stars</u>
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Small detrivore often found in live rock or in the sand bed. I have some red and white ones that live in the live rock. They can often be seen with only the arms waving out of the LR trying to catch food drifing in the current. (pic 3) When I see them doing this I usually try to feed them a brine shrimp or something similar on occasion. Most aquarists will usually encounter them during water changes after siponing the sandbed. The ones found in the sandbed are white/grey in color. I always just scoop them out and put them back in the display as they are beneficial.
<u>Clear Flatworms</u>
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These are the harmless kind and have been known to be nocturnal algae grazers.
Now we will move on to the harmful creatures.
I will start off with harmless critters first. My comments here are partly based on my experiance and part from researching online. If anyone sees any corrections that need to be made, please PM me or post your own experiences in the thread. At least you can hopefully put a name to what you see in your reef. My purpose is not to provide you information on how to get rid of the hitchhikers, but only to ID them and then it up to you to search and find more information on how to remove them.
===================================================
<u>HARMLESS</u>
<u>Amphipods</u>
Most reef tanks have these in the LR or running around on the sand. Size is from a few millimeters to 1/4 of an inch generally. I see them most often at night. In the absence of predators they will be bold enough to come out during the day. If you search your tank at night with a flashlight, the eyes even reflect light much the same way cats eyes do.
<u>Copepods</u>
Again very common reef "bugs". They are usually less than 1mm in size and people often say they look like little white dots on the glass or LR.
<u>Spirorbis</u>
Feather duster type worms in the Annelid family. They usually grow in darker areas but I have found them on the back wall of my tank. They are a good sign that your reef tank is well established and in balance if they start to appear. They are filter feeders.
<u>Feather dusters</u>
There are many types of these found commonly in or on live rock. Some live in the rock themselves or some make tubes. The colors vary greatly. On my LR I have a few different kinds, some having red feeding tentacles, some having white. Another beneficial filter feeder.
<u>Asterinid stars</u>
Commonly called asternia stars. Usually the size of a dime or smaller. I have included them in the harmless section due to the fact that mine have never bothered my corals. I have many of them in my tank. I have found them to be grazers, mostly feeding on algae on the side of my tanks. There is a harmful species of this star that looks very similar to these that will eat corals. The ones commonly found on LR are <u>USUALLY</u> the harmless ones. They usually have an abnormal number of arms and reproduce fast by splitting. I do have a few that look like normal starfish with five arms, but I have found that to be uncommon. Keep an eye on them if you see them in your reef tank just to make sure they behave and dont bother any corals.
<u>Limpets</u>
Algae grazers. Sometimes found on live rock in many sizes. Many different species most oval in shape with the shell coming to a point on top.
<u>Spaghetti worm and Hair worms</u>
Usually considered harmless. Sizes can vary. You usually spot these at night when they extend their feeding tentacles to scavange for food. Upon occasion they can bother some corals when hunting for food. Hair worms are similar in appearance but only have 2 feeding arms that extend to search for food.
<u>Peanut worms</u>
Nocturnal worms that feed on detritus and left over tidbits of food. Rarely seen during the day, they are a beneficial member of CUC (clean up crews) Normally quite ugly lil guys, some have been seen with banded patters.
<u>Bristle worms (not fireworms, those are listed under harmful creatures)</u>
Bristle worms are found in almost every reef tank. Most people consider them pests but I find them to be beneficial members of the CUC. They eat leftover food, and scavenge for other meaty meals. Caution should be used as the actual bristles of this worm can cause severe irritation, pain, redness and swelling if touched with bare hands.
<u>Mysis shrimp</u>
These little guys are VERY fast lol. You will almost always see them in your fuge, sump or in the live rock at night. At night with a flashlight their eyes will reflect light as well. They also make great treats for your fish so as they reproduce net em and feed em!
<u>Stomatellas</u>
These guys are harmless grazers. They look like a snail with half a shell. They are mainly nocturnal but I do see them from time to time during the day. They spawn often in reef tanks. The male will stand up almost vertical and release his sperm at which time the females will rise up and release eggs. My clownfish loves the eggs as a tasty treat. Usually if you use a flashlight at night, you will see many of them.
<u>Vermetid snails</u>
Vermetid snails are often mistaken for feather duster tubes or tube worms. These reef critters are actually snails that secrete a feeding mucus (pic 3) to catch passing particles in the water column. I have seen ones in my tank catch and reel in adult brine shrimp. Usually harmless but the feeding mucus can bother or smother some sensitive corals.
<u>Hydroids</u>
Hydroids are very small and hard to spot. Most people say they look like tiny clear or white jellyfish attached to the glass.
<u>Micro Serpent Stars</u>
Small detrivore often found in live rock or in the sand bed. I have some red and white ones that live in the live rock. They can often be seen with only the arms waving out of the LR trying to catch food drifing in the current. (pic 3) When I see them doing this I usually try to feed them a brine shrimp or something similar on occasion. Most aquarists will usually encounter them during water changes after siponing the sandbed. The ones found in the sandbed are white/grey in color. I always just scoop them out and put them back in the display as they are beneficial.
<u>Clear Flatworms</u>
These are the harmless kind and have been known to be nocturnal algae grazers.
Now we will move on to the harmful creatures.
